Grabbing a piece of whole fruit or a popsicle are both fast, easy, and refreshing in the summer.
But will they give your kids fuel for summer play?
We know we’ll be asked about snacks approximately 5,287 times…in June. 😉 Nobody wants that!
Here are some ideas to keep snacking running smoothly and prevent hungry tummy issues:
- Make a System
- Watch for Sugar
- Teach your kids “Satisfying”
- Protein and Fat Make it Stick
- Try New Recipes
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Can’t see the video? Watch Summer Snacks on YouTube here.
Solving the Summer Snacks Dilemma
- 1:17: Summer is coming and as a mom of 4, I know what is about to happen: 1,748 questions about snacks a day! It’s enough to make us want to quit our jobs!
- 2:22: I have 5 tips for you to help you manage summer snacks.
- 2:44: First, make a system. That way the kids and parents know when snacking is allowed to happen. For example, in our house snacking can happen between 9:30-10:30 and 3-4.
- 3:07: Last summer, my husband got fed up with our 5-year-old constantly asking when snack time was so he taught our google home to announce when snack time began each day.
“Mooooom, I’m hungry!!”
How many times do your kids ask for snacks each day? Wouldn’t it be a relief if they were empowered to prepare their own snacks, instead of coming to you and whining about how hungry they are?
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- 4:43: Tip number two is to watch for sugar. I want my kids to be able to run around and have fun in the summer. In order to have energy, they need a balanced snack, not a shot of sugar. Some foods are sweet treats and some foods are good snacks.
We need to teach our kids that some foods will nourish our bodies well and others not so well. -Katie Kimball
- 8:20: Number three is to teach your kids the word “satisfying.” The purpose of snacks is to curb your hunger, not to fill you up. We want snacks to hold you over to the next meal though. A handful of grapes or fruit snacks will only last 30 minutes, that is not a satisfying snack.
My son Paul wrote a real cookbook!
He and 4 friends have published a cookbook by kids, for kids, all healthy foods—Chef Junior.
If you want to see how kids write to kids and get some fab bonuses for supporting these 5 teen authors, buy the book and then redeem the bonuses the kids created!
- 10:42: I think we should teach kids that food tastes better when we’re hungry. They can figure out the right balance of a satiating snack that still allows them to build up enough appetite before the next meal.
- 11:06: Make sure your kids know that they don’t have to have a snack just because the snack window is open. They can choose to skip a snack if they aren’t hungry enough.
- 11:42: Next up, teach your kids about protein and fats.
- 12:09: I give some examples of balanced snack options.
Teaching Kids to Cook Summer Snacks
- 13:14: My last tip is to try new snack recipes with your kids. Look below for a list of some of our favorite snack recipes!
- 14:30: Don’t try a new recipe at snack time. Kids are much more likely to do well helping in the kitchen when they’ve just been fed.
- 14:53: What creative things will your kids be doing this summer? Learning how to cook should be one of them!
If you can empower your kids to be independent at snack time your summer is going to be so much more pleasant! -Katie Kimball
- 17:21: I tell a story about Cara’s family and how much her kids loved making our ranch dip recipe.
Resources We Mention For Healthy Snacks
- My master list of healthy snack ideas for kids
- 10 healthy snacks preschoolers can make
- 5 snacks kids can make
- Healthy snack recipes:
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